Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Banjul

For one person, living is cheaper in Banjul: $674 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Banjul
🇬🇲 Gambia
$674
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Banjul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Banjul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $674 in Banjul, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,589
  • Banjul $674

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $1,184 in Banjul, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,364
  • Banjul $1,184

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $1,695 in Banjul, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,139
  • Banjul $1,695

Medellin costs about 136% more than Banjul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Banjul is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Banjul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.01 COP 25.8K
$7.29 GMD 532
9.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 COP 149.9K
$73.0 GMD 5,328
-36.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 COP 30.4K
$7.91 GMD 578
19.22%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,374
$3.76 GMD 274
-22.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 COP 5,643
$2.66 GMD 194
-34.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 COP 4,263
$1.54 GMD 112
-14.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$5.45 GMD 398
-42.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 COP 17.9K
$4.44 GMD 324
25.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Banjul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 COP 4,542
$1.38 GMD 101
2.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 COP 7,858
$0.64 GMD 46.87
281.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 COP 5,245
$1.29 GMD 94.5
26.36%
Eggs
$2.82 COP 9,084
$1.97 GMD 144
43.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.69 COP 31.2K
$6.16 GMD 450
57.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.32 COP 30.0K
$2.63 GMD 192
254.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 COP 43.3K
$5.45 GMD 398
146.97%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 COP 12.9K
$2.06 GMD 150
94.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 COP 4,768
$1.22 GMD 88.7
21.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 COP 6,839
$1.76 GMD 128
20.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,253
$1.32 GMD 96.7
70.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 COP 6,155
$0.88 GMD 64.4
117.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 COP 5,214
$1.00 GMD 73.0
62.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,696
$0.25 GMD 18.31
360.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 COP 4,063
$0.61 GMD 44.59
106.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 COP 12.3K
$1.66 GMD 122
130.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.11 COP 42.2K
$6.29 GMD 459
108.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 COP 5,136
$1.53 GMD 111
4.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,263
$1.69 GMD 123
33.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Banjul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,770
$0.19 GMD 13.59
515.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.0 COP 241.5K
$6.40 GMD 468
1072.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,098
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,600
$0.71 GMD 51.7
188.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 COP 26.4K
$4.12 GMD 301
99.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 COP 4,088
$1.08 GMD 79.1
17.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K COP 86.2M
$2,616 GMD 191.0K
923.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 110.8M
$3,205 GMD 233.9K
973.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Banjul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 COP 522.3K
$30.89 GMD 2,255
425.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 COP 42.3K
$14.21 GMD 1,038
-7.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.09 COP 90.5K
$45.37 GMD 3,312
-38.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Banjul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.33 COP 142.7K
$23.56 GMD 1,720
88.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 COP 52.6K
$13.61 GMD 994
19.99%
Cinema Ticket
$6.09 COP 19.6K
$3.37 GMD 246
80.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Banjul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$764 COP 2.5M
$6.59 GMD 481
11498.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,904 COP 28.7M
$136 GMD 9,921
6452.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Banjul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0 COP 273.6K
$55.2 GMD 4,029
53.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 COP 185.1K
$43.48 GMD 3,174
32.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 COP 424.2K
$99.0 GMD 7,228
33.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.8 COP 308.3K
$85.6 GMD 6,251
11.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Banjul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$101 GMD 7,347
921.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 COP 1.9M
$81.2 GMD 5,924
644.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,802 COP 5.8M
$213 GMD 15.6K
744.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$993 COP 3.2M
$138 GMD 10.1K
620.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,921 COP 12.6M
$1,438 GMD 104.9K
172.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,639 COP 5.3M
$1,160 GMD 84.7K
41.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Banjul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$626 COP 2.0M
$60.6 GMD 4,426
932.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
15
-27.07%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Banjul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$604
Banjul
$81 86.6% $523
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$288
Banjul
$149 48.3% $139
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$203
Banjul
$90 55.5% $113
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$166
Banjul
$127 23.4% $39
Eating Out
Medellin
$166
Banjul
$180 8.3% $14
Getting Around
Medellin
$91
Banjul
$11 * 88.3% $81
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Banjul
$30 46.4% $26

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $101 in Banjul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 933% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $73.0 in Banjul. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Medellin vs $149 in Banjul – so Banjul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇬🇲 Banjul
🕒 Local time
02:35 2:35 AM
07:35 7:35 AM
5 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
31,356 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GMD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,220 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,611 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 73 GMD (100 GMD = 1.37 USD). 1 EUR = 81.88 GMD (100 GMD = 1.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Banjul 6,500 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Banjul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Medellin vs Banjul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banjul cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 136%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $1,010 in Banjul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Banjul?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Medellin and $674 in Banjul. That's a gap of about 136%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 1072% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Banjul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjul, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Banjul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Banjul more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Banjul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Banjul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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